Venia Mishin - On the stone road

– I only know what you have got – the emphasis sounded on the last word – but why are you running I don’t know.

– And what have I got? – Eric also highlighted the last word.

– I asked first! – Said the young man.

His question was not so simple as it might seem to be. There was no exact explanation. Eric didn’t have anything at all, he didn’t really understand, why did it. After a little thought, he tried to give the answer not only to his companion, and also to himself:

– Maybe… maybe I’m guilty in… something, something terrible. I want to make sure – he admitted.

Only that moment, Eric had the courage to put forward the assumption of his own involvement in the incident with his father. A bright ball, the smashed phone, a hurricane in the city park, the explosion in the kitchen: all pieces of the puzzle had common constant. This constant was Eric.

– What are you going to do if your fears confirm?

– I don’t know, but I won’t come back!

If it turns out that it is really his guilt – the return will be impossible.

– Your turn – reminded the scruffy teenager to the new acquaintance.

– Before I answer, I would like to know what do you think about everything that happened to you in the last days?

Anders continued to amaze by his awareness that he possessed. Perhaps he deliberately unsaid, so Eric excluded the specifics of his response, leaving only the impression of his experience.

– The only thing that comes to mind is his loss. It is likely, I’m going crazy – sad Eric with a grin, and then he hid his eyes behind gray bangs. Eric didn’t want to show his fear.

– My story is similar to yours. Once, I had to run away from home. It was many years ago. I thought I was the threat to my family, so that for the sake of their protection I had to abandon them. It was quite a difficult dilemma.

The surprise flashed on Eric’s face, even before the serene voice of Anders had stopped.

– Indeed, very similar to my story! How can I know that you are telling the truth? – Eric demanded evidence.

– I have no idea, just believe! – Anders advised. It was strangely, but it seemed that he didn’t care: did Eric believe him or not.

– It is not simple! – Eric opposed.

It was too recklessly to trust a stranger, who even behaves yourself eccentrically and sometimes spooky.

– Yes, make a person believe it’s a heavy task, but I will try, – judging by the expression on his face and manner of speech, it’s hardly believed, that he was at least a little bit interested in it.

Because of this fact the mystery has loomed – why did he want it?

– You are still didn’t tell me.

Anders distracted Eric from thinking.

– What exactly? – Eric didn’t understand him again, gradually he began to get used to it.

– You are so much concerned about the situation, that you haven’t introduced yourself yet.

Eric always was not very friendly; it was connected with his positive indifference to other people.

– My name is Eric Lanter.

Before getting into a cafe, Eric had warned that he had no money with him, so that he couldn’t pay for his order. The demarche of the fifteen-years old boy caused discouragement and a very sincere smile on Ander’s face.

All the tables in the cafe room were occupied, so Anderson and Eric located outdoors. A tiny waitress in a white apron brought the menu and immediately ran to the other visitors, who were impatiently waiting for the service.

Today is the boom in the cafe “Blah Bar”! Shaking his head, Eric noticed how much he and his new friend distinguished among other people. Unnatural black Ander’s clothes devoured the light, which was falling on it. He hid his eyes behind sunglasses and waited for the next arrival of the waitress to make an order. Intently examining the proposed food, Anders refused to a main dish, and immediately asked for a dessert – pancakes with lingberry jam. Eric didn’t determine the choice, so that he asked to bring him the same dish. He put the menu aside and looked at his hands, they were soiled with mud: also they beautifully harmonized with a torn jacket, smeared with wet ground.

– We are going to the north – declared Anders.

Eric hasn’t decided, whether he would go with him yet. On the one hand – he had nowhere to go; he had no shelter at the time of clarification of the mysterious events. On the other hand – it was unwise to go who knows where with a stranger.

– Why is the north? – He asked, sticking a fork in a pancake.

– I live there for many years – said Anders, scouring jam by fork. His impressively smooth movements combined with detachment, which increasingly commanded his appearance. At least, Eric got to know the motive for selected destination.

– Tell me about yourself – briefly bestowing with a smile, asked Anders.

His facial expressions was constantly changing from friendly, but not always plausible, on the detached, sometimes slightly sinister.

– You already know my name – Eric didn’t notice how he turned to him to “you.” – I am fifteen years old. This year, I had to leave school and go out of town, where people believe that on my head was poured a jar of gray paint, when I was a child. With the first I’m afraid, that nothing will come, and with the second, as you can see, there were no problems. How all this came up, I don’t want to explain – he felt uncomfortable. Anyway, Eric doesn’t have a tendency to revelation.

– And you don’t need to do that, I know everything – calmly said Anders – anyway, I understand. Perhaps, you will fell yourself be easier when I tell you the truth. But maybe you will not.

– Really?! Why so? – Eric became indignant.

– People are extremely unpredictable creatures.

– I promise to be restrained! – Eric insisted, squeezing his lips and making a resolute look, as much as he was able.

– You should really try – his voice sounded in a mandative tone. – Well, let’s suppose, that everything in this world has a certain energy, due to which it exists. Whether it is a person, animal, plant, and even star in the sky: all has its own key to life. Also, let’s suppose that someone honored to receive a share of someone’s energy by chance, for example of our planet.

The only word that forced Eric after hearing was:

– Suppose…

– Assume – continued Anders – the energy source of our planet – the flame that never dies, but can only grow and grow. And when its size exceeds the allowable, there occurs an emission – the release of excess energy.

– Like a volcanic eruption? – Eric puzzled, trying to imagine, what Anders said, and also trying to suppress a smile.

– A kind of, but not so big and spectacular. When the source is getting rid of excess energy, it emits a tiny beam that carries the incredible strength. If the release doesn’t happen, the source will continue to grow, resulting in a burst.

– And how often there is an emission? – Eric asked, solely to maintain the conversation.

– Every time when the same month replaced the thirteenth time.

Anders silenced and watched the stupor, into which fell Eric.

– That is… every twelve years and one month? – He said.

Anders nodded.

– Are you saying – we live on a bomb? – Eric couldn’t help laughing, but then stopped fun time, making out potentially possible surge of anger.

– This bomb always disarms itself, don’t worry – calmly explained Anders, while Eric spun uncontrollably, digesting his words, not the food.

What Anders said was unthinkable, though it sounded convincing, but it was crazy!

– Even so, – for a second, Eric imagined that this is possible – what I’m involved in this?